Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-18
WOOD COUNTY.
Its interests, Local and General.
From the Marshfeld Times:

EDITOR MARSHFIELD l1MES-1n6 aftlcle
In the last issue of the Times, copied
from the Centralia Enterprise and
Tribune, with the above head, certainly
calls for more extended notice, than /
am able to give it.
But inasmuch as it refers to me
particularly, and asserts that the posi-
ton taken by myself and others in
relation to the Wood County bridge was
''to serve a purpose other than the
general welfare" / am constrained to
state few facts, and leave the verdict
to the good judgment of the people of
Wood County.
cordially endorse ali that the gentle
men say in their Introductory and would
only add that desiring the prosperity
and development Of the whole county,
no discrimination should be made in
favor of any particular locality on
account Of either age or importance,
and that no part Of the County should
receive benefits at the expense of the
whole County, unless the reason for
giving them are just, sensiable and
commend themselves to the Judgment
of the taxpayers Of Wood County.
The Enterprise article is simply plea
for the continuation of the Wood
County bridge, at the expense of the
County, and an attempt to justify the
previous expenditure Of money for that
purpose. 1t also has scheme for the
inauguration of a system of County
roads. Let us briefly review the past
history of the County from the granting
of the charter, to the Wood County
bridge Co., to the present time, and see
if we can find in the acts of the people,
who have ruled Wood County, any
exemplifcation of the fine sentiments
which now seem to animate the bosoms
of the authors of the Enterprise article.
The Legislature in 1865 granted a
charter to certain parties to erect and
Smaintain toll bridge across the Wis
lconsin river. The bridge was completed
in 1868. In 1873 the County according
to proviso in the charter, bought the
bridge and have since maintained it. In
1865 when the charter was granted
three-fourths of the population of the
County was in the vicinity of these two
places, Centralia and Grand Rapids. The
County had increased but very little in
population in 1873. They were, in fact,
as well able to put up the bridge in 1868
as they were to buy it in 1878 Why
was it not done? because the originators
of the scheme was land it must be
admitted that it was shreWd trick that
it would be much harder for the County
ever to rid itself of the bridge if pur-
chased from private corporation, than
it would be if the bridge was built by
the County in the first place. Well the
County bought it in 1873 when as | said
before three-fourths of the population
where in close proximity to these two
cities. That number of the supervisors
!. thought that Centralia and Grand Rapids
were to take and keep up the bridge is
evident from the fact that at the same
meeting of the County Board, who
purchased the bridge, resolution was
passed giving the bridge to Centralia
and Grand Rapids, but they refused to
accept it. The writer's of the Enterprise
article say ''the original owners were
oblioed +, 6arf arff,TNyith valuable franchise
and bridge" What tittlf'llSs titIf 1EasneIA4a5se
cost them? The bridge they used five
years and sold to the County for Sl0,500,
and within two months the County
Board were discussing the advisability
of expending three thousand dollars IN
repairs on the bridge to make it passibie.
They patched it up and used it until
1877, when the County built a new
bridge, at a cost of about eight thousand
dollars. That looks as though the
original owners were obliged to part
with a valuable bridget The writer's
doubtless meant they were obliged to
part with the bridge for VALUABLE
CONSIDERATION. The writer's of the
ENTERPRISE article also state that, ''if the
opinion in the northern and western
part of the County is well nigh general
that the County bridge is burden
which they onght to be relieved from,
such opinion must have developed quite
recently, or must have been accomp-
anied by modesty quite unaccountable
because until recently very little has
been said, within the hearing of the
people ofthe eastern part fthe county
The people of the eastern part of the
County must be quite deaf. In 1874 the
County board refused to repair the
bridge, and a suit was commenced by
four citizens and free holders of the
city of Grand Rapids against the board
of Supervisors, to compel them to main
tain the bridge.
Mr.. Gardner was one of the attorney
in the suit, he at least ought to remem
Der it. Three or four years ago Geo
Marshall, of Milladore, offered resolu
ton on the County board to close tn,
bridge, at least, he so told me at tn